This year, take along a special travel notebook so you can jot down notes about your holiday memories – funny things the kids said, the bakery with the perfect cakes, or describe the sights, sounds and smells of the vibrant, dramatic sunset. Make sure you can hold onto your holiday for as long as you can by organising all of your summer holiday pictures in one place with a travel photo book. Pick a travel theme, scan mementos, and add personal captions to create a photo book you, and your family will treasure and enjoy the simple pleasures of your holiday again and again.

The beach provides a naturally beautiful canvas, and by simply using a variety of perspectives, you can create extraordinary pictures of your days by the sea. For example, snap a candid shot of your child or loved one unaware and enjoying the beach.

Celebrate the arrival of your little Prince or Princess with personalised photo card birth announcements. Choose a design you love, then add your favourite photo (or photos!) and a personal message. Shop before your baby is born and save the card in your projects folder so that once your bundle of love arrives, all you have to do is add the details. Don’t forget to save one for your baby’s scrapbook, or frame an announcement for the nursery.

Make the gift-giving part of the party more personal—and practical. Take a photo of each child presenting a gift and a photo of the birthday boy or girl opening it. You’ll create a visual record of who gave what, which is a huge help when it’s time to write thank-you notes.

Gifts from the kitchen are heart-warming. Not only do you get to taste your friends’ wonderful delights, you get their recipes, too. Whether you’re part of a club, a school, or a group of friends, creating a Christmas Recipe Book is a beautiful way to collect and remember each year’s event. You can even sell the books for fund raising. And with our new Magic Layout tools, it’s easier than ever before.

Bonus Tip: Turn our stationery photo cards into beautiful recipes cards, with or without photos, to include when giving baked goods or other kitchen treats.

Think of Ansel Adams’ majestic black and white landscapes, and you can appreciate the power that’s possible when you leave colour behind. Use black and white (or monochrome, as it’s also called) techniques to heighten drama and emotion in your photos, to give pictures a timeless quality

Make sure all the Dads in your life have prints of themselves with their kids as well as treasured doodles. Highlight favourites in a calendar that starts… in June, of course! Or, get creative and make your own growth chart, with Dad as the marker. Collect the photos in a handy lay flat photo book and see what a difference a few months really make.